Christians - Could you justify Graven images?

Question

Christian Brothers and sisters,
Jesus Christ pbh visited the temple , worshipped there and had discussions with the Jews over there, .........
But during the time he visited the temple "Did he put up any graven images in the temple" ?

Or did he give any such instructions "of using graven images" to be followed in the future?

If so, could you give me the reference.... with chapter and verse number.........

I request you to please quote only "Jesus Christ "pbh..........


And if you cannot provide these details then how come you claim to be "Bible Believers" because your actions go against the Bible ?


It is clearly mentioned in the Bible extracts given below that it was a commandment
and
Jesus Christ pbh himself told not to break the least of the commandemnts.........

Bible Exodus 20 verse 4
“You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth….Keep my commandments…”

While Jesus Christ pbh himself said that
In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus stated: “17 Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the [way of] the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18For, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.”

Also in Matthew 5:19, Jesus Christ was reported to have insisted on strict obedience to the commandments saying, “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;

Was Jesus Christ not the SHEPERD….. Why don’t you obey him pbh….

This extract clearly specifies that it is a order from GOD.
Bible Exodus
20:1
And God spoke all these words, saying:  20:2
I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  20:3
Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.  20:4
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;  20:5
thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; ...............and keep My commandments.

Answer 1

You are so right. Allah (PBUH) works inside you. Keep on teaching this Christians that are in truth PAGANS.

Answer 2

Graven images? What's with graven images? What's with what's written about graven images?

Its the reason for putting the images that is important. The images lack any life. Its the reason that decides right or wrong - not the graven images. Look into the WHY of the graven images and your answer will be found. Look in a book and your confusion will increase.

That's Hindu philosophy and that's what ALL religions teach.

God gave you power to think. Use this power - and not some archaic book that hides more than it reveals.

The book will be interpreted differently by different people and lead to discord - but the sense of right and wrong was built into your genes. Why not use the inner strength ...or has generations of trusting the book rendered this a dormant trait?

Answer 3

In place of the Old Testament law, we are under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2) which is to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). If we do these two things, we will be fulfilling all that Christ wants for us to do, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Technically, the Ten Commandments are not even applicable to Christians. However, 9 of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament (all except the command to observe the Sabbath day). Obviously, if we are loving God we won't be worshipping other gods or worshipping idols. If we are loving our neighbors, we won't be murdering them, lying to them, committing adultery against them, or coveting what belongs to them. So, we are not under any of the requirements of the Old Testament law. We are to love God and love our neighbors. If we do those two things faithfully, everything else will fall into place.

Recommended Resource: Bible Answers for Almost all Your Questions by Elmer Towns.

Answer 4

Deut. 4:15 - from this verse, people who miss the whole point say that since we saw "no form" of the Lord, we should not make graven images of Him.

Deut. 4:16 - of course, in early history Israel was forbidden to make images of God because God didn't yet reveal himself visibly "in the form of any figure."

Deut. 4:17-19 - hence, had the Israelites depicted God not yet revealed, they might be tempted to worship Him in the form of a beast, bird, reptile or fish, which was a common error of the times.

Exodus 3:2-3; Dan 7:9; Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32; Acts 2:3- later on, however, we see that God did reveal himself in visible form (as a dove, fire, etc).

Deut. 5:8 - God's commandment "thou shall not make a graven image" is entirely connected to the worship of false gods. God does not prohibit images to be used in worship, but He prohibits the images themselves to be worshiped.

Exodus 25:18-22; 26:1,31 - for example, God commands the making of the image of a golden cherubim. This heavenly image, of course, is not worshiped by the Israelites. Instead, the image disposes their minds to the supernatural and draws them to God.

Num. 21:8-9 - God also commands the making of the bronze serpent. The image of the bronze serpent is not an idol to be worshiped, but an article that lifts the mind to the supernatural.

I Kings 6:23-36; 7:27-39; 8:6-67 - Solomon's temple contains statues of cherubim and images of cherubim, oxen and lions. God did not condemn these images that were used in worship.

2 Kings 18:4 - it was only when the people began to worship the statue did they incur God's wrath, and the king destroyed it. The command prohibiting the use of graven images deals exclusively with the false worship of those images.

1 Chron. 28:18-19 - David gives Solomon the plan for the altar made of refined gold with a golden cherubim images. These images were used in the Jews' most solemn place of worship.

2 Chron. 3:7-14 - the house was lined with gold with elaborate cherubim carved in wood and overlaid with gold.

Ezek. 41:15 - Ezekiel describes graven images in the temple consisting of carved likenesses of cherubim. These are similar to the images of the angels and saints in many Catholic churches.

Col. 1:15 - the only image of God that Catholics worship is Jesus Christ, who is the "image" (Greek "eikon") of the invisible God.

See...I can pull Scriptures out of context just like you can

Answer 5

Romans 3: 9-31

9 What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
12All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one."
13"Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit."
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."
14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know."
18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.
28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.


I believe this says it quite nicely. God does not like rants, on yahoo or anywhere else for that matter. Have a blessed day.

Answer 6

What graven images do we worship?? The cross? We don't worship it, it is a reminder of what Christ did for us. A crucifix? Again, a reminder. We don't worship these things, they serve as reminders of our forgiveness and salvation.

When I wear a cross necklace, it's like wearing a locket with my grandmothers picture in it. When I see the cross at the altar, it's like the pictures of my family hanging on the walls in my home. Reminders of a wonderful person in my life!

Answer 7

What happens when one prays lord by offering his prayers to an Idol?
How will you feel when I tear your mother's image or photo? Don't you feel sad? Even a devotee will feel same reverence as for god image as for god.

Even Muslims pay by by turning to direction where Mecca is! what is the necessary? Even Muslims are holding a symbol to where god is! Why do you look at sky for god? Because you symbolize him!

Allah is transcendental, he cannot be thought by us, so realize him we need to take help of gross(sky, mecca,idol), when there is realization there is Advaitha(non duality) that is Highest stage reached by great people called Advaitha.

Answer 8

Why did not you put Him as God's Son and not just some great Prophet?
I do not agree with wearing a cross nor do I agree with having some picture of Him or a cross in my home, but you are a pot calling the kettle black are you not?

Answer 9

If you are talking about the cross as being a graven image it is not. It is a symbol of the sacrifice our Lord gave to us.

Answer 10

A crucifix IS a Graven Image. You will not find one in MY house!

Answer 11

There should be NEW and IMPROVED section on Yahoo Answers specifically and especially for YOUNG PASTORS and PREACHERS-IN-THE-MAKING, wanna-bee talkers, proselytizers, persuaders, sidewalk counselors, Monday-morning Preachers, CyberVangelists, Fishing for Souls by throwing out the enterNET to catch souls. There could be a contest to see which new young wanna-bee-the-next-big-thing-in-evangelism could come and post their favorite scriptures and their favorite talking points to try to get converts to Jesus.